Prior Claim
by sessha-chan
Summary: A chance encounter leads Kagome down a path she thought dead. Ranma12 Inuysha xover. InuKag as well as RanKag. reincarnation is a wonderful thing for a writer!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Both Ranma ½ and Inuyasha belong to Takahashi Rumiko-sensei. Honestly, if they were mine do you think I'd be posting fanfiction on them? Yeah right! I'd publish it and actually make money! Too bad. **AN: **This is a pure Kagome/Inuyasha fic. Of course there is a bit of reincarnation so the whole 'Kagome/Inuyasha' idea may be a little skewed…. Comments are very, _very_ welcome (I live off of them! They are my bread and butter!). If you have anything negative, flames included, please offer ways that I can improve the story. I do not need useless insults and the like. If you don't like it please tell me why. That's all I ask. Now, on with the show!

**Prior Claim**

Sessha-chan

**Chapter one **

**In Which the Protagonists Meet **

The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, the clouds non-threatening, the people panicking and trying to run. Kagome headed towards what everyone seemed determined to avoid at all costs. She had been out grocery shopping when the panic started. By the sounds of the destruction up ahead – and she hoped that she was wrong for once – it sounded like youkai.

She really hoped not.

Without any warning registering on her battle alerted senses a body crashed right into her, sending them both flying. Kagome groaned as the person on top of her scrambled to his feet, cursing very loudly and with such fluidity it would have made Inuyasha proud.

Nope. No youkai, purely human.

"Oh, hey, sorry about that," he apologized then turned to the person that had thrown him, "Darn it Ryoga watch what you're doing!"

"Ouch," Kagome moaned, sitting up timidly.

"You okay?" asked the man.

Kagome nodded slowly. "Could you guys stop fighting? I'll call it even if you do," she begged, cluing in that these two were probably what everyone was running from.

"Ranma! How could you injure a girl!" the other man, Ryoga, demanded. Kagome looked at him, astonished.

"You threw him into me!" She exclaimed with righteous indignation, "It's not like he was aiming to land on me,"

Ryoga had the sense to look properly ashamed and apologized to Kagome. Ranma helped her to her feet. She thanked him but gasped in pain when she tried to take a step.

"What's wrong?" he asked, confused. Kagome tested her ankle again.

She swore under her breath. "Why does this always happen to me? Something's wrong with my ankle," with a grimace she started limping away, despite the pain. She was stopped abruptly when Ranma swung her into his arms without even an 'if you please.'

"Put me down!" she gasped.

"No way," Ranma denied, "You're hurt. Just tell me where you live and I'll carry you there," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Kagome shut her mouth and nodded.

"Higurashi Shrine," she said timidly. He looked surprised.

"You live at a shrine?"

She nodded.

"Cool. Later, Bacon-breath," he called to the boy he had been fighting as he took off down the street. Kagome felt a wave of déjà vu wash over her. How many times had Inuyasha carried her in the ancient past?

A sharp twisting pain near her stomach wrenched her from that train of thought. The pain was her first indication that something more than a twisted ankle was wrong. Her breath hitched as another sharp pain seared her nerves and her hand clutched at her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked, slowing down.

"I-" Kagome gasped sharply, "Could you hurry, Ranma-san? I think I'm hurt more than I had thought,"

"Sure thing," he put on some speed, breaking into a fluid run.

_Kagome clutched Inuyasha's shoulders and tightened the grip she had on his sides with her thighs. The wind rushed by as her hanyou husband and mate ran across the untamed countryside._

Kagome blinked.

Ranma was taking the shrine steps three at a time. It took him no time at all before he reached the entrance courtyard. She directed him to the house and unlocked it from her perch in his arms. He carried her inside and set her gently on a sofa in the living room.

Her stomach clenched again as white-hot pain seared through her entire body. Ranma jumped when she tried to strangle a scream.

"I'll call a doctor," he promised. Kagome grabbed his shirt, gaining his attention.

"My doctor's number," she gasped sharply in pain, "on the fridge. Tell him Kagome _needs him here now!_"

He nodded and scurried to the kitchen. It took him a minute to locate the right phone number and the handset for the telephone but he quickly dialed the number. It rang twice before someone picked up.

"Kagesaki,"

"Hi, I'm calling for Kagome. She says to tell you she needs you here now," Ranma relayed somewhat apprehensively.

"Kagome-sama? Has something happened to her?" the doctor demanded, growling.

"She got caught in the crossfire of a fight and had someone tossed into her,"

The growling increased, startling Ranma, and the line went dead. Ranma frowned at the handset he was holding, thoroughly confused.

Another strangled cry brought him back to the living room, and Kagome's side, before he even realized he had moved. She clutch blindly at his hand as he sat beside her, helpless to anything.

"Inuyasha!" she sobbed brokenly. Ranma winced as she tightened her grip on his hand again and he was sure he heard some bones break.

The door bell rang.

"It's the doctor," Kagome said weakly, letting go of his hand. Ranma nodded, not asking how she knew, and let the doctor in.

He waited in the kitchen as Dr. Kagesaki did his job. After a couple of tense minutes he peeked into the living room. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Kagome was glowing a bright blue, her aura infinitely more pure than any he had come across in his entire life. Dr. Kagesaki was kneeling over her prone body with his hands over her abdomen, muttering constantly under his breath. Kagome's aura spread like a gentle liquid over the doctor and crept across the floor until the whole room was shrouded in pure, blue mist. She suddenly relaxed completely and her aura retreated. The doctor put a hand to her forehead and sighed, standing.

"How is she?" Ranma asked, stepping into sight.

"Both her and the child will be fine," Dr. Kagesaki said, running a hand across his own damp forehead. Ranma felt his stomach drop and an invisible hand tighten around his throat.

"Child? She's pregnant?"

What had he managed to do this time?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Both Ranma ½ and Inuyasha belong to Takahashi Rumiko-sensei. Honestly, if they were mine do you think I'd be posting fanfiction on them? Yeah right! I'd publish it and actually make money! Too bad.

**Chapter two**

**Researching Curses**

Kagome woke to the concerned faces of her family. Someone had moved her into her room and had changed her clothes. If she had to guess it was probably because she had bled all over her skirt before Dr. Kagesaki had managed to reverse the threatened miscarriage.

"How are you feeling, mama?" Shippou asked, leaning over her and peering into her eyes.

"Just tired," she said truthfully. She felt her stomach, relieved that she could still sense life in her womb.

"The baby's fine," her mother said, standing, "I'll get you something to drink. The young man is still in the living room,"

"Young man?"

"He said his name was Ranma," her mother prompted. Kagome blinked then gasped as she remembered.

"He's still here?"

"Yeah," Souta said, "He's been camped out downstairs for an hour now,"

"An hour? I was out for that long?"

"You lost a lot of energy healing the damage," Shippou said seriously. Kagome nodded and swung her legs out from under the covers so she could stand. Her son tried to push her back down, protesting that she needed more rest.

"Shippou-chan, if you had your way I wouldn't go anywhere. I need to talk to Ranma-san about his curse,"

"Curse?" they all asked.

Kagome nodded. "It's as obvious as can be for me and I want to ask him about it,"

"Can you walk? Ranma-san said you hurt your ankle," her mother asked kindly.

"If I can't then Shippou-chan will just have to carry me," she shrugged.

Shippou sighed and allowed his mother to hold onto his arm as she pulled herself timidly to her feet. With care she tested her weight on her injured ankle. A triumphant smile lit up her young face when she found that there was no pain at all.

"I'll have to thank Dr. Kagesaki for taking care of that as well," she laughed musically.

"How in the world did you manage to start miscarrying anyways," Shippou asked as he escorted her downstairs.

"I got in the middle of someone else's fight," she shrugged apologetically.

"Oi," Shippou held a hand to his forehead and sighed.

They found Ranma sitting in the kitchen nursing a cup of tea that had been given to him by Mrs. Higurashi before Kagome had awoken. He was sitting on the edge of a kitchen chair. When Kagome came in with Shippou he set his cup down nervously.

"I don't believe we've introduced ourselves yet," Kagome said, sitting down as well. Shippou pulled out a chair next to his mother. "My name is Taisho Kagome and this is my," she coughed and bit her lip, "my son, Ichihara Shippou. I am the resident miko of the Higurashi shrine," she bowed.

"Saotome Ranma," Ranma bowed as well, "heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Please forgive me for landing on you,"

"You're the one that hurt her!" Shippou exclaimed, pushing himself violently to his feet. Kagome caught his arms and pulled him back down.

"Calm down, Shippou-chan. Ranma-san, there is nothing to forgive. It was an accident. You did not mean to land on me and I should have known better, all things considered, than to walk into the middle of someone else's fight,"

"You walked into… oh mama," Shippou sighed a longsuffering sigh and shook his head. "You didn't,"

"I did," Kagome laughed a little, "So it's my own stupidity that got me into this. Don't you dare blame yourself, Ranma-san,"

Ranma nodded meekly. Kagome smiled.

"Now. I want to talk to you about your curse,"

Ranma almost fell off his chair. "What?"

"You are under a curse, aren't you?" Kagome pressed. He nodded slowly. "That's what I thought. Now tell me about it,"

The martial artist flushed a deep, deep red. He mumbled something under his breath that Kagome did not quite catch. Shippou did and he laughed.

"That has got to suck!" he gasped out between bouts of hysterics. Kagome smacked him upside the head, shutting him up.

"Shippou. Manners," she chided.

"Yes mama," he quieted down at an amazing rate, looking properly chastised.

"Now, would you please say that louder, Ranma-san?" she asked.

"I turn into a girl," Ranma muttered, still blushing. Kagome blinked.

"A girl?"

"When I'm splashed with cold water and I turn back with warm water," he explained.

Kagome nodded slowly, "I think I have heard of that type of curse before. Is it Chinese?"

Ranma nodded.

Kagome turned to Shippou, "I'll need you to do some looking into this for me, Shippou,"

"Not a problem," he grinned, still laughing quietly.

"Right. Back to business. Ranma-san, could you tell me how you got this curse?"

"Why? Do you think you can get rid of it?" he asked, curious. Kagome smiled.

"Well, I am a miko. It's what I do," she grinned, "So tell me the story and I'll see what I can do about it. It's only fair since you helped me out today,"

* * *

Ranma did not get back to the Tendo Dojo until late that night. He opened the front door quietly and slipped off his shoes before padding upstairs to his room. The house was quiet and he was fairly certain that everyone had gone to bed already. Absently he wondered if anyone had even missed him at dinner. 

As he got ready for bed he replayed the events of the day over again and again in his mind. He had run into Ryoga, which resulted in the eternally lost boy picking a fight. While dealing with Ryoga he had accidentally landed on Kagome. It was strange because he did not sense her at all, which was why he landed on her.

Almost making her miscarry. Boy, he was not going to forgive himself for that any time soon.

And what was up with that 'doctor?' he had never seen a doctor using aura to heal, much less the patient's own aura. In fact, Ranma frowned, he did not think he had ever met someone who could use another person's aura. He had not heard of that being possible, either.

He had learned, over the course of the evening, that Kagome's late husband had died almost exactly two months ago, leaving her pregnant with their first child. None of the shrine family said how Taisho Inuyasha had died and Ranma did not ask. It was clearly a sensitive subject.

But that brought him to Ichihara Shippou, Kagome's 'son.' How on earth could that redhead be her son? They looked about the same age. So what was up with him calling her 'mama' and her claiming him as her 'son?' And no one else in the family thought that that was strange at all, which just confused Ranma even more.

Putting the odd family dynamics aside, Ranma started thinking about what she had said when he had told her how he had gotten his curse and the properties thereof. He had told her everything he knew about the curse and everything that he had tried in order to rid himself of it. He even ended up explaining his whole fiancée problem during his recounting of what he tried to get rid of the curse. All in all Ranma had practically told Kagome his life story.

In return for taking up so much of his time grilling him on the juusenkyou curse Kagome promised to research how to remove it. She did not promise that it would work, only that she would try. And that was all he could ask.

* * *

Kagome started on her new project right away. Shippou had promised to look into it as well – as a favor to her, of course – and she was sure that he would be able to unearth something helpful. Meanwhile she took a bus and a train to get to the best library she knew in all of Tokyo. The librarian who helped her find the books asked her why she was researching ancient Chinese curses. Kagome smiled and said she was helping a friend with a project. Completely true yet ever so misleading. 

She poured through tomes and dusty manuscripts, scribbling down notes on everything pertinent, useful or just plain interesting. By the end of the day she had several pages of notes that she would have to go through at home and her hands were cramping from so much writing. She had not done so much research since she had graduated from high school, never having been able to get into a collage with the grades she got as a result of spending most of her time in the past.

Kagome signed out a backpack load of books to take home before she caught another train and bus back to the shrine. It was starting to get dark and the moon was already high in the sky. When she entered the house her nose was ensnared by the scent of whatever her mother was making for dinner. It led her, still backpack-laden, into the kitchen.

"Ah, Kagome-chan," her mother greeted with a bright smile.

"Hey mama,"

"Shippou called. He would like you to call him back. Said something about the curse you asked him to research,"

Kagome nodded, kissed her mother on the cheek and left in search of the telephone. She dropped her backpack off in her room and dialed her son's private line.

"Shippou here," he said, picking up.

"Hey, Shippou-chan!" Kagome grinned, "Mama said you called,"

"Mama! Where were you?" he demanded.

"Library. I'm not dumping this entire thing on you. You have a company to run after all," Kagome pursed her lips. What kind of person did he think she was?

"Two, actually," he corrected absently, "and I did find something interesting. Actually it's a _someone._ An old Chinese lady who runs a ramen shop, the Nekohanten. She has a great-granddaughter under the curse as well,"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Apparently she turns into a cat," he laughed. "I guess it's not as embarrassing as turning into a girl, but it's still amusing,"

"Can you tell me where this Chinese lady's shop is?" Kagome asked, pointedly changing the subject.

"Yeah, it's down in Nerima. I'll come over tomorrow to take you over if you want," he offered.

"That'd be helpful," she smiled to herself, "thanks Shippou-chan. What would I do without you?"

"Well," Shippou said flippantly, "for one thing you'd have a slower life without me putting the gas on,"

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Around noon at the shrine. I'll take the afternoon off and pick you up," he agreed. They said their goodnights and cut the connection. Kagome flopped down on her bed.

"A cat," she snorted, "that's got to be handy occasionally,"

* * *

Kagome was sitting under the goshinboku when Shippou arrived. He had brought one of his less flashy cars along for the trip, knowing how much his mother hated drawing attention. He skipped up the steps to the shrine and waved. 

"Mama!" he exclaimed with a foxish grin. Kagome hauled herself to her feet and gave her son a hug, squeaking when he picked her up.

"Put me down, Shippou-chan," she demanded, her feet dangling half a foot above the ground. He complied, laughing.

"You've gained weight," he commented.

Kagome frowned mischievously, "Of course I have," she snorted, "it's hard not to when you've got a kid growing in your gut,"

"I guess you're right,"

He dragged her down the steps to his car, holding the door for her as she climbed in the passenger side. The drive was relatively short but finding parking in the right neighborhood was difficult. Thankfully the spot that they had found was only a block away from the café they were heading towards. The walk was enjoyable as the streets were not crowded and the weather was warm. Shippou held the door for his mother, allowing her to precede him into the ramen café.

"Welcome," said a pretty, purple-haired girl with a heavy Chinese accent. Kagome smiled and allowed the girl to escort them to a table.

"Excuse me," Shippou said, "Do you know a Cologne?"

"Ah, yes! That my great-grandmother. You know her?" the girl asked curiously.

"We talked yesterday. Could you tell her that I would like to speak with her?"

"Yes! Right away!" and the girl skipped off.

Kagome smiled, "That was the girl that turns into a cat?" she asked.

Shippou shrugged. "I guess we can assume so, unless Cologne has other great-granddaughters living with her,"

"Which I don't, young man. At least not at the moment," said an ancient looking woman perched on top of a wooden walking staff. "Shall I assume that you are Ichihara Shippou-san?"

Shippou nodded, "and this is my mother, Taisho Kagome. She would like to hear everything you know about the curse,"

"A Taisho?" Cologne asked, hopping a little closer, "I never thought I'd live to see the day when a Taisho would enter this shop,"

Kagome smiled, understanding what the old woman meant. "Sesshoumaru does have rather refined tastes," she admitted, "I'm his sister-in-law. I am the miko for the Higurashi shrine and I'm not nearly as picky as him,"

"Sister-in-law? I heard something about Taisho-sama having a brother. Then it's true?"

Kagome looked down, blinking back tears, "Inuyasha died two months ago,"

There was an awkward silence for a minute.

"Forgive me," Cologne apologized, "I did not know,"

"It's alright,"

"Cologne-san," Shippou interjected, "could you tell us what you know of the juusenkyou curse?"

Cologne nodded, happy at the change of subject, "Yes. The juusenkyou is a series of cursed springs near my home village. Each spring has essentially the same properties of that a person who is touched by the water will change into the spring's drowned creature with cold water and back to their normal form with hot,"

Kagome and Shippou nodded. They had gathered that much from Ranma.

"Unfortunately there was a flooding a couple of years back and now all the springs have mixed. It will take at least another fifty years before they are returned to normal. And even then they will have to be catalogued again," Cologne sighed. Kagome frowned as well.

"Cologne-san," she said thoughtfully, "Could you perhaps tell me what the juusenkyou curse looks like? In an aura, that is,"

The old matriarch nodded slowly and described what she saw when she looked at the curse. Kagome's eyebrows furrowed as she committed the description to memory. They talked for at least an hour on what Cologne knew about the ramifications of the curse and what had already been tried to counter and nullify it. By the time Shippou and Kagome left the Nekohanten Kagome was shaking her head.

"Sounds like it will be easier to just purify it out of his system," she complained.

Shippou grinned at her frustration, "You might just have something there," he laughed, "You know, sometimes the simplest path is the right one,"

"I'm still researching removal techniques," she insisted, "If anything they'd serve as a good tune up. I have to work on my fine control anyways,"

"Have fun with that," he smiled down at his mother.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Both Ranma ½ and Inuyasha belong to Takahashi Rumiko-sensei. Honestly, if they were mine do you think I'd be posting fanfiction on them? Yeah right! I'd publish it and actually make money! Too bad.

**Chapter three **

**A Flash of the Past and Toss that Curse Away! **

"Ranma-san?" Kagome asked, surprised when the martial artist showed up a couple of days later, "What are you doing here?" she had been sweeping the courtyard free of debris when she had caught sight of him standing underneath the torii at the top of the steps.

Ranma had been thinking about Kagome ever since they had last met and when he found himself in her neighborhood he somehow gravitated towards the shrine. He watched the miko sweep until she noticed his presence. It did not take long, even considering the fact he had hid his aura so that no one could detect him.

"_You gotta be able to sense people," he frowned, "What kind of miko can't sense youkai?"_

"_Hey!" Kagome protested, "It's not like I had anyone tell me how, you know!"_

"_Useless,"_

"_Sit boy!"_

Ranma blinked. "Hello Kagome-san," he said, frowning a little. Where did that come from?

"What brings you here?" she asked, setting her broom aside.

"I was in the neighborhood," he shrugged.

"Do you want to come in? I can make some tea," she offered. Ranma nodded and followed her inside.

When they were both seated at the kitchen table with full teacups before them Kagome guessed what Ranma was thinking about.

"I have made some progress on your curse, Ranma-san," she said with a small smile, "If everything goes the way it has so far we might be able to try it in a week or two, if that's alright with you,"

"That soon?" Ranma was surprised.

"Shippou-chan has excellent contacts. So does my brother-in-law. Between the three of us, nothing takes too long," she grinned.

"Shippou-san," Ranma started, "You say he's your son, but he looks about the same age,"

Kagome laughed, "Actually he's older than me,"

Now he was really confused, "Then why does he call you mother?"

"Because I am," she said seriously. When she saw the look on his face she sighed and put down her teacup, "I suppose I'll have to tell you how that's possible. It's only fair since I pestered you about your curse. Once upon a time there was a sixteen year old girl. It was her birthday, actually, but that doesn't really matter. Anyways, the cat was stuck in the wellhouse. Her younger brother found him there and called for her to help since he was too frightened to go down the old dry well to fetch the cat. The young girl had never been near the well herself and she was quite apprehensive. She was even more scared when the well started glowing and a giant centipede demon with the head and torso of a human woman came out of the well and grabbed her, pulling her in,"

"Centipede demon?" Ranma interrupted.

Kagome nodded, "Mistress Centipede was what people called her. Anyways, long story short she pulled me through the well and as I was trying to get away I accidentally created a rip in time that led five hundred years in the past. That's where I met Inuyasha, my husband, and Shippou, our son. Shippou was only a little thing about this tall, "she measured out a foot with her hands, "when we met him. He's grown a bit over five hundred years,"

"Wait," he rubbed his temples, trying to take in the implications she was suggesting, "so he's five hundred years old?"

"Give or take a decade, but yes. Shippou-chan is a kitsune and Inuyasha was a inuhanyou so he was half human," she nodded, "His brother, Sesshoumaru, is a full blooded inuyoukai and they didn't get along until just before Inuyasha and I married,"

"_Die, Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru growled, pulling back tokijin for a deadly blow._

Ranma blinked. Who was that?

"Ranma-san? Are you alright?"

"I think so," he said slowly.

"Are you sure? You went pale as snow for a second," she leaned forward and touched his temple lightly with her fingers. Ranma had a strange feeling wash over him as he stared into her concerned face.

"_Inuyasha? Are you alright?"_

Kagome's eyes widened and she snatched her hand back.

"Ranma-san," she said slowly. He looked at her to show he was listening. "How long have you been seeing images like that?"

She saw that? "Only when I'm around you. It's strange and a little confusing," he admitted.

Kagome frowned, leaning back in her chair thoughtfully.

"Why?" he asked, "Other than it being really weird, what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, I think. At least not right now," she bit her lip, "You'll tell me if it gets worse?"

Ranma promised he would.

"_Inuyasha? You'll tell me if you're hurt, right? You won't hide it?"_

Ranma blinked.

"Another?" Kagome asked. He nodded. She sighed.

"It was just a flash. I've had longer," he shrugged.

"How long?" she tilted her head to the side.

"A couple sentences, that's it," he admitted, "When I arrived,"

"About what?"

"Ah," he thought about it, "someone was complaining that you – I think it was you – that you couldn't sense people even though you're a miko,"

Kagome smiled softly, remembering, "Inuyasha. He's the main reason why I got properly trained, you know. He just kept pestering me until I caved in and asked Kaede-sama to teach me. Miroku-sama helped as well,"

Ranma nodded, having no clue as to whom she was talking about.

"That was two years ago for me," she continued absently. "It was after we defeated Naraku and fixed the Jewel. It's funny, but I thought that everything would be perfect after that,"

"It wasn't?"

"Inuyasha was killed. That's not my idea of perfect,"

* * *

Ranma walked back to the Tendo Dojo an hour later. By the time he arrived at his 'home' it was nearing dinnertime. Kasumi was busy in the kitchen, Akane in the dojo, Nabiki in her room – probably going over some extortion material – and his father and Tendo-san were on the outer hall playing shogi.

"I'm back," he called as he shucked off his shoes. Kasumi called out a greeting but other than that he was either ignored or unheard. It did not faze him in the slightest bit.

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes," Kasumi said, poking her head out of the kitchen as he padded past. He smiled and thanked the eldest Tendo daughter and made his way up to the roof. He stretched out on the ceramic tiles and stared at the sky as the stars woke from their day-long nap. Ten minutes later, as Kasumi had predicted, dinner was ready.

Dinner at the Tendo house was a singular affair bar none. With the conversations and arguments between the two younger sisters and the battle for dominance over the table by the Saotome men there was only two sane people left at the table. Kasumi smiled benignly at the antics of her family and Tendo-san ate in peace, ignoring the pandemonium swirling around him.

"So where were you today, Ranma?" Akane asked. Ranma shrugged.

"I was visiting a shrine. A friend of mine is the resident miko there,"

"Oh? Which shrine is that?" Kasumi asked, her interest caught.

"The Higurashi shrine,"

"Then you know Kagome-san?"

Ranma nodded, "That's her,"

"How is she doing? She had a few years where she was constantly ill,"

"Kagome? Do we know her?" Akane asked.

Kasumi shook her head, "I don't think you do Akane-kun. Kagome-san is an acquaintance of mine. I heard she married a year ago but I never heard who to,"

"Taisho Inuyasha," Ranma said quietly, "but he died a couple months back,"

"That's terrible!" Akane gasped. Kasumi covered her mouth with a hand, hiding her horror at the shocking news.

"That's gotta suck," Nabiki winced, "But I've never heard of Taisho Inuyasha. The Taisho family is pretty prominent so why haven't I heard of him?"

"He's Taisho Sesshoumaru's younger half brother. Other than that they don't talk about it much," Ranma shrugged, deftly avoiding the whole truth with practiced ease.

"How's Kagome holding up?" Kasumi asked, concerned.

"Pretty well, I suppose. She has all of her family as well as Sesshoumaru-san helping her," he shrugged and batted his father's chopsticks away from his bowls, snatching a pickle from the old martial artist as he did so.

"So how did you two meet?" Nabiki asked slyly. Her mercenary instincts were going haywire.

"I, uh, landed on her during a fight with Ryoga," he blushed, remembering what had happened as a result of that miscalculated landing.

"You landed on a woman?" his father demanded, shocked into pausing in his assault on Ranma's food.

"It was an accident," he snapped irritably.

"That is no excuse!" His father declared grandly, "For you to be so careless in the middle of a fight! How shame-" Ranma tossed a bowl at his head. The older Saotome tumbled backwards, temporarily stunned.

"As I said. It was an accident. I carried her back to her shrine and called her doctor to…look at her ankle," he left out the near miscarriage. They did not need to hear about that as well.

"When was that?"

"About a week ago, I think. I was in the neighborhood today so I thought I'd stop by and see how she was doing," he shrugged.

"That was very kind of you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi smiled at him and filled his rice bowl again.

* * *

Ranma found himself gravitating towards the Shinto shrine more and more. By the end of the next week Kagome declared that she had enough information – she hoped – to try her hand at removing the curse. After performing a simple cleansing ritual and offering a prayer she declared him ready to begin.

"So," he asked, sitting across her in the temple hall, "What do we need to do?"

Kagome was busy arranging the various objects needed for the ritual. It was not much, a elaborate prayer scroll, a sutra and an arrow. The scroll and the sutra Ranma could understand but the arrow had him mystified.

"You just need to sit there. I have to do all the work for this particular stunt," she smiled dryly.

She settled herself on a _zabuton_ in front of him, the scroll and the arrow resting before her on the floor. The sutra she held up in front of her serene face between two fingers as she clasped her hands together. Closing her eyes she began the chant. Ranma's hair rose on end as he felt the sheer power rise from the tiny miko before him. Her hair and traditional outfit billowed and swirled around her in the ethereal light of her aura. He felt something tugging at his own aura insistently. Relaxing as she had instructed him to do he was surprised to find the tugging fade and the arrow before them start to glow a sick brown-green.

Kagome opened her eyes, frowning at the arrow. She did not have time to contemplate whatever was amiss as she swayed drunkenly and slumped forward in a faint. Ranma caught her before she could hit the wooden floor.

"Kagome-san?" he asked, worry and confusion colouring his voice. She did not answer and appeared to be sleeping. With care he picked her up and padded out of the temple hall to the Higurashi home. Akgome's mother met him at the door and ushered him through the house to Kagome's room so that she could tuck her exhausted daughter into bed.

After stumbling up the stairs to Kagome's room Ranma felt as weak as a day old kitten. When Kagome was set carefully on her bed the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts collapsed in a heap.

* * *

"_Oh, hey Kagome. You're back," he said. Kagome waved up at him in his tree. He dropped down to land gracefully beside her._

"_Hey Inuyasha," she smiled shyly. He pulled his mate into a one-armed embrace and kissed the top of her head. "Mama says to tell you 'hi,'"_

"_How's she doing?"_

"_Still a little disappointed that she couldn't come to the wedding but I think she understands. Sesshoumaru said that we should have a small ceremony at the shrine anyways," she sighed into his shoulder, her muscles relaxing._

"_Go through all that again? You're kidding, right?" he shook his head and snorted._

"_Well, if we kept it really small there wouldn't be much fuss and grandpa could perform the ceremony," she looked up into his eyes, silently begging. He relented._

"_Whatever,"_

_A radiant smile lit up Kagome's face. Smiles like that were the reason he mated _and _married her. To have her by the customs of both sides of his heritage, anything to make her his own for both their lives and eternity._

"_Thank you, Inuyasha," she whispered, tugging his head down to meet hers for a gentle kiss.

* * *

_

Ranma opened his eyes with a quiet groan. His surroundings were unfamiliar, setting him on edge. Carefully he looked around, determining that he was alone in the room. He pulled himself upright. Oh. It was Souta's room. Sliding out of bed was interesting. The room tilted and swayed for a minute and Ranma found himself collapsing back onto the mattress. When everything settled he tried standing again.

Scored!

Swaying just a little he managed to make it to the door. The hallway was empty.

_The house was empty. Kagome's family had gone out for the night but her scent still lingered._

He padded across the hall and knocked lightly on Kagome's door. No answer. With great care he turned the doorknob and peeked into the miko's room. Spying her still sleeping he felt drawn further in the room and settled himself next to the bed, leaning up against it. His head nodded and soon Saotome Ranma was asleep again.

* * *

Kagome woke not too long after the invasion of her bedroom. Ranma had twisted so that he was leaning at a more comfortable angle against her bed. He looked so at peace that she did not have the heart to wake him. As softly and quietly as she could she maneuvered around him and slid off the bed. With a final glance to make sure he was undisturbed, she left her bedroom.

"Kagome, you're awake," her mother said, smiling as she arrived downstairs, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Mama," Kagome smiled back, "Ranma-san is still sleeping it off,"

"How did it go?"

Kagome frowned a little, "I'll have to wait until Ranma-san gets up to be sure but his aura feels much more natural now,"

"That's a relief," her mother sighed. She looked at the clock and sighed again, this time in resignation rather than relief. "I have to start dinner,"

"I'll help," Kagome offered.

The two women busied themselves in the kitchen. Souta came home after his soccer practice and settled himself in front of the television to play video games. It was not until the gentle scent of dinner permeated the house that Ranma stirred and stumbled downstairs.

"I smell food," he said, still half asleep. Kagome smiled and steered him towards the table, pressing him into a chair.

"Wait here and dinner will be served soon," she promised. He nodded and slumped over the tabletop.

"Ranma's here?" Souta asked, looking away from his game for a second.

"Kagome performed the curse removal ceremony today," his mother said, poking her head out of the kitchen to speak.

"So why's he so out of it?"

"Hey, you'd be out of it too if I'd been messing with your aura," Kagome tossed in with playful severity.

"No thanks!" he laughed and turned back to his game. Ranma muttered something into the table, sounding just a little irritated.

"And you be quiet," she commanded as she started ferrying food to the table from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready, Ranma-san,"

Ranma reluctantly lifted his head.

"Why do I feel so drained?" he asked.

"The curse had integrated quite spectacularly with your own aura. You had gotten used to the burden it was so it is no surprise that having it removed you feel drained, and, I bet, just a little lopsided," she said sympathetically.

"_So you're completely human on these nights? No wonder you seemed so out of sorts all day," Kagome said. He scowled at the sympathy. He did not need or want sympathy._

"_I wasn't 'out of sorts' wench," he protested irately. Kagome just smiled and sat beside him. he looked over at her, feeling just a little awkward when she stayed silent. Eventually he relaxed. But only the tiniest amount._

He shook his head. Kagome gazed at him, worry evident in her deep blue eyes.

"Another?"

"Yeah,"

Kagome sighed sadly, "I'm sorry you're going through this,"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Both Ranma ½ and Inuyasha belong to Takahashi Rumiko-sensei. Honestly, if they were mine do you think I'd be posting fanfiction on them? Yeah right! I'd publish it and actually make money! Too bad. 

**Chapter four**

**In Which the Past and the Present are Reunited Again**

The curse was gone. Not just the curse of the juusenkyou but also the curse on his hair as well. It was nice, being able to brush his hair without having to worry about it growing out of control.

Over the next month Ranma spent an increasing amount of his time at the Higurashi shrine. Kagome's pregnancy became visibly pronounced during that time and now it was harder to miss the bulging belly. It did not take long for Ranma to fit into the family of shrine keepers like he had been there most of his life. Even the increasing frequency of the 'flashbacks' did not deter him in the slightest when compared to the relative peace the shrine offered.

"Hey," he greeted cheerfully.

Kagome smiled, her face lighting up like it had not since before the death of Inuyasha. "Ranma,"

"Whatcha doing?" he asked, peering down at the mass of fabric she had in her lap.

"This?" she held up her handiwork, "Mama was busy so I'm fixing Souta's yukata for him,"

"By hand?"

"Why not?" she countered his skeptical question. Ranma shrugged and let it go.

"Anything I can do?" he asked, sitting down next to her on the steps to the wellhouse.

Kagome pointed to the basket beside him, "Pass me my scissors?" she asked.

Ranma fished through the wicker basket, locating the desired scissors and handed them over. Kagome's fingers brushed his hand as she picked them up. She blushed a little and turned her face away so he would not see.

"How have you been doing?" she asked as she gazed down at her work with intense concentration.

"Pretty good, I suppose," the martial artist shrugged languidly, "Dad and Tendo-san have been pressuring me to marry Akane. They say that since I'm already eighteen I should have made up my mind,"

"Eighteen is pretty young to _have_ to marry," Kagome agreed with the tone he used, the 'I _really_ don't want to go through with this' tone.

"That's what I keep telling them. But do the old men even listen to me? Of course not. Thankfully Akane could care less, she's sweet on Ryoga – not that he even realizes. Honestly that stupid porker probably won't realize until it smacks him over then head. Repeatedly,"

"What about the Chinese girl and the one who owns the okonomiyaki shop?" Kagome asked curiously.

Ranma groaned. "They're as bad as ever. Shampoo is constantly ambushing me with love potions and spiked ramen,"

"Spiked ramen?" Kagome looked up, shocked.

"Yeah. Shampoo's great-grandmother, Cologne, owns a ramen shop called the Nekohanten,"

Nekohanten. Kagome started giggling.

"What? What's so funny?"

"It figures, you know," she gasped, wiping away a stray tear, "that it was Cologne-san who gave me the most useful information I needed to get rid of your curses,"

"You're kidding," Ranma stared at her, eyes wide.

"I kid you not. Cologne told me what the juusenkyou curse looked like and that was what I needed the most," Kagome tied off a row of stitches and tested the seam's strength. "Well, just so long as he doesn't get into a fight this should hold,"

"You talked to the Demon Lady of China?"

"She wasn't that bad, Ranma," Kagome pursed her lips and frowned at him, "You should be at least a little grateful,"

"I'll be grateful the day she stops hounding me to marry Shampoo," he grumbled.

Kagome smiled to herself, saying nothing on the subject. It was not her dilemma in the first place and it sounded like Ranma already had too many people giving him 'advice.' He did not need another to add to the pot.

"Are you coming to the festival?" she asked instead.

He shrugged, "Probably. _Some_one is going to make me, want to or not,"

"As an out you could always say you're escorting me. It can get pretty crowded and everyone's always telling me I should be careful now that I'm pregnant. I'll need someone around," she smiled mischievously at him and couldn't help but tease, "if you don't want to then I could always ask Shippou or Souta but family's not nearly as fun as friends for these things, you know?"

Ranma laughed, "That'd be perfect! You look too 'taken' so seem like a threat to them and that's a perfect excuse! Kagome, you're a genius!" acting on pure spontaneity he pulled her into a hug, still laughing. Kagome laughed as well, caught off guard by his exuberance.

"I don't know about 'genius' but if you think it'll work…" she smiled up at him, still trapped in his arms.

He nodded, his mind whirling over the wonderful possibilities.

* * *

"So who are you taking to the festival, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked innocently. Ranma coughed into his rice a little when every eye in the Tendo home focused on him.

"Kagome-san asked if I would help her out at her shrine," he said with confidence he suddenly did not feel.

"Kagome?" Akane asked.

"Taisho Kagome?" Nabiki pressed.

"You're taking another?" Tendo-san demanded, "What's wrong with my little girl?"

"Explain yourself boy!" his father.

"That's wonderful!" Kasumi: his only supporter.

Ranma took a breath and shrugged, "Kagome's pregnant and she has to oversee the festivities pretty much on her own since her grandfather died. She asked me if I could help out, make sure she doesn't get pushed around too much,"

"That's very kind of you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi smiled at him, "How is the baby, by the way?"

"Pretty good, I guess," he shrugged, "she's looking fat and every time I see her she's eating _something_,"

"That's good,"

"How often are you going over to that shrine, Ranma?" Nabiki asked. Ranma edged away from the mercenary sister, suddenly nervous.

"Whenever they need some help," he lied, "It's just her mom and her younger brother living with her there, you know. I help fix the roofs and stuff since they can't do it themselves,"

Yeah. Right. He had only been asked to do that once. Things did not break with the regularity they did at the Tendo dojo despite the fact that most of the people Kagome associated with were youkai of some percentage. One thing that woman was good at was keeping the violence around her home to a minimum. True talent there.

"So where is this shrine?" Akane asked.

"In Tokyo,"

"Isn't that a bit far?"

Ranma shrugged, "It's only a couple of minutes,"

"For you or normal people?" Nabiki asked sarcastically.

Ranma paused, thinking about it. "An hour maybe?"

"An hour? It's that far? You've got to be kidding me!" Akane was surprised, "If it's that far then why do you keep going?"

Another shrug, "I owe her for a favor,"

"Oh?"

Now everyone was curious.

* * *

Lanterns hung in strings all around the shrine grounds, lighting up the darkness of the night like stars that had come to earth. Friends and families milled about, laughing and chatting, clad in their finest yukata or western clothing. Children munched on chocolate-covered bananas on sticks while friends played games and got their fortunes told.

Kagome oversaw the whole affair resplendent in her traditional miko garb and red and white gi and hakama. She smiled politely and conversed with the guests. Generally, she was her loveable self hyped to the maximum.

"Hey Ranma," her smiled brightened even more when she caught sight of him. Ranma grinned back at her.

"Hey Kagome. Nice turnout,"

"Isn't it? Mama, Souta and Shippou-chan are here somewhere. Even Sesshoumaru decided to make an appearance, surprisingly enough,"

"Sesshoumaru?"

"_Inuyasha, you fool,"_

Ranma blinked. "He's here?"

"Yes. He showed up with Shippou-chan about five minutes ago,"

"With Shippou?"

"Yes. But I don't expect him to stay long. He hates these kinds of things, you know. Too many people. He's probably talking to Mama right now," she said thoughtfully and absently tugged on the edge of her sleeve.

"_I'm not Kikyou," she insisted vehemently. He looked her up and down, appraising her appearance._

"_Take it off," he demanded, "I don't like it,"_

"_Sit boy!"_

"You look nice," Ranma complimented, bringing himself back to the present. Kagome blushed a little and nervously smoothed her hands over the pleats of her hakama.

"Thanks,"

"Mama!" Shippou cried, interrupting them as he ambushed Kagome and wrapped his arms around her in a great hug, "Mama, mama! Sesshoumaru wants to see you. He said to bring Ranma-san as well,"

"Me? Why does he want to see me?" the martial artist asked, confused.

"He's heard about you from Kagome and me," Shippou reasoned, "but he's never met you. I guess he figures he might as well corner you while you're both in the same spot and save him the trouble of doing it later,"

"You talked to him about me?" Ranma turned to Kagome. Kagome coughed a little, blushing lightly.

"Just mentioned once or twice," she bit her lip and looked away. Shippou grinned.

"Just once or twice," he agreed, playfully winking. She slapped his arm as hard as she could, forcing a wince.

"Fine. Where is he?"

Shippou pointed to the edge of a wooded area where Kagome could clearly see her brother in law being antisocial. She waved to him and he nodded, not moving an inch from where he was standing.

"That's Sesshoumaru?" Ranma asked, "He doesn't look like the Sesshoumaru I keep seeing," For one thing, he looked as human as Shippou did, his long silver hair tied back and his familial marking gone. Even his tail was gone.

"He's wearing a disguise spell," Kagome explained, tugging on his sleeve. He took the hint and followed her through the crush to the relative calm near the trees. Ranma's apprehension increased the closer they got to the imposing head of the Taisho family. Kagome's smile brightened and she bowed respectfully when she reached him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she said, straightening and bestowing a beautiful smile on the taiyoukai, "How are you doing?"

"Well," he nodded and stepped forward, holding out a hand to her middle, "May I?" Kagome nodded. Sesshoumaru placed his hand on her swollen belly and took a deep breath. Ranma watched, confused.

"_You're with child," Sesshoumaru said bluntly. Kagome looked between the Taiyoukai and him, confused._

"_How can you tell?" she asked._

"_Your scent has changed to accommodate another,"_

_She looked at him for verification. He had to nod. "He's right, Kagome," he admitted. _

"_And when were you going to tell me?" she frowned._

"What's your opinion?" Kagome asked playfully, teasing the uncle to be. Sesshoumaru looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"The child is healthy," he admitted, stepping away.

"I could have told you that," she grinned up at him. He snorted and looked over at Ranma.

"You are Saotome Ranma," he stated.

"Yessir," Ranma bowed.

"Come here,"

Ranma hesitantly stepped closer to the imposing man. Sesshoumaru lifted a hand to his head.

_Sesshoumaru raised his hand, deadly green poison melting everything it came into contact with._

Ranma winced away. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I see," was all he said. He turned back to Kagome and frowned, "it seems you have tampered with more than just curses, miko,"

"Aw, crap," Kagome groaned, smacking her forehead with the heel of her hand.

"What?" Ranma asked, suddenly a little suspicious.

"The memory barrier placed on your soul is deteriorating," Sesshoumaru explained flatly, eyeing him, "You are gaining access to the memories of your past life,"

"My past life?"

"Indeed,"

Ranma felt the sudden need to sit down. Unfortunately, the only place he could sit was on the ground. He opted not to.

"So, what does that mean?"

"That, if given enough time this life and your past life will become one. When that occurs you will be able to fulfill the duties left undone in your past life," Sesshoumaru sounded so assured that neither Kagome nor Ranma could say anything.

"Duties?" Ranma asked cautiously. Sesshoumaru's eyes twinkled and Kagome covered her face, blushing bright.

"If you do not remember now then it not my place to inform you," he said mysteriously and bid them farewell.

"I really hate him sometimes," Kagome groaned, her face still covered.

"_No matter how much you hate him, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru is still your brother. Try to get along. Please? For me?" Kagome begged, whispering her pleas. _

"_Keh," he scoffed, "I'll try but don't expect that jerk to be civil. He hates my guts, remember?"_

"_Thank you, Inuyasha," she smiled and kissed his cheek tenderly._

"Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's brother," Ranma said absently. Sure he'd been told and in theory he _knew_ that they were but he was just now _realizing_ it. "They hated each other?"

"For a long time, yes, it seemed that way," Kagome nodded.

"But…"

"_How else could I ensure your survival you fool?" Sesshoumaru asked mildly, "You decided to hate me for something I had no part in, yet you are still my brother. I doubt that you would have agreed to conventional training methods,"_

_He looked at his elder brother, surprised. Everything he had believed about his only surviving family were nothing but false misconceptions? He looked over at Kagome, who was able to detect falsehoods. She smiled and nodded._

"_He's your brother, Inuyasha. I told you that it would all work out. You just have to give it a try,"_

"But that wasn't true," Ranma shook his head, trying to clear out the cluttered memories.

"Sesshoumaru didn't hate Inuyasha," Kagome agreed, watching the crowd, "but Inuyasha had decided that Sesshoumaru wanted him dead. The only way Sesshoumaru could look after his little brother was by forcing him to fight, to learn to fight to survive and win. Neither grew up in pleasant times,"

"Sounds rough," Ranma agreed.

"That's putting it mildly," she laughed lightly, "Thankfully they both turned out fine in the end,"

Hesitantly Ranma asked the question that had been bothering him, "Kagome, how did Inuyasha die?"

* * *

Why was Ranma not surprised to find the entire Tendo family as well as all of his fiancées milling about the Higurashi shrine? Shampoo and Ukyou were obviously looking for him, craning their necks and scanning the crowds with sharp eyes. He sighed and resigned himself to his miserable fate.

"What's wrong, Ranma?" Kagome asked, appearing at his elbow.

"The fiancées have arrived," he groaned. Kagome looked over the crowed, trying to see whom he was talking about. Shampoo was easy to spot with her purple hair. Other than that she could not pick them out of the crowd, having never met them.

"Where are they?" she asked, giving up. He started pointing.

"Ukyou's over there, and Shampoo's the one manhandling that poor guy there. Akane is with Nabiki and Kasumi by the food stalls over there," he said. Kagome nodded, spotting the women.

"They don't look so bad," she murmured.

"You haven't met them," he retorted.

"Then shall we?" she asked archly. Ranma groaned, resigning himself to his tragic fate. Kagome checked her bearings and dove into the crowd straight for fiancée number one: Tendo Akane.

"Welcome to the Higurashi shrine," Kagome said by way of greeting as she came upon the Tendo sisters.

"Kagome-san," Kasumi smiled, "It's been years. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing very well, Kasumi-san. It's nice to see you again," Kagome smiled back.

"You're Kagome?" Akane asked cautiously.

Kagome nodded, "My name is Taisho Kagome. I'm the miko for this shrine,"

"Kagome!" Ranma panted, catching up, "Don't do that! Shippou said that the doctor told you to slow down, so listen to him for once,"

"Oh hush, Ranma-san," Kagome waved him off, "Dr. Kagesaki didn't mean it that way. Now let me get back to my conversation with these girls,"

"Hello Ranma," Nabiki said slyly. Ranma scowled at the mercenary Tendo sister.

"Hey Nabiki," he said a little stiffly. Kagome took this as her cue to intterupt. She plastered her best 'I am innocent and unassuming' smile on her face.

"So you're Nabiki-san? It's a pleasure to meet you. And that means that you must be Akane-san, am I right?" she said brightly. Stunned, the sisters nodded. Only Kasumi seemed unaffected. "Ranma-san has told me so much about you and your family. It's so nice to finally meet you,"

"It's nice to meet you too, Kagome-san," Akane said, bowing.

"Are you really pregnant?" Nabiki asked bluntly, eyeing Kagome's middle. Kagome looked down.

"Guess this outfit covers it better than I had thought," she commented. Looking up she nodded, "Yes, Nabiki-san, I am pregnant. Right now I'm almost three and a half months along,"

"Uh oh," Ranma groaned, spotting someone coming his way. Worse yet: two someones.

"Ranchan!"

"_Airen!"_

Kagome turned to see who was hailing her friend. Two women about his age shoved their ways through the crowd, clearly headed their way.

"_Airen,_ is so good you come. Shampoo miss you," Shampoo said as she glommed onto one of his arms.

"I haven't seen you come by the shop lately Ranchan. Has something happened?" Ukyou asked and she attached herself to his other arm.

"Ranma?" Kagome asked, amused at the sight of him at the mercies of two of his fiancées.

"Ranma, who this?" Shampoo asked.

"My name is Taisho Kagome," Kagome said with a somewhat forced but still friendly smile, "I'm the miko of the Higurashi shrine,"

"Kagome, this is Shampoo and Ukyou, who I told you about," Ranma said when it was clear that the girls weren't saying anything. Both of them were sizing Kagome up as a potential rival, which made him frown.

"Kagome," Ranma steered to a topic that would have all the girls admit she was not threat to them, "Why _did_ Sesshoumaru come over if he was only going to be here for ten minutes?" That is right. Bring up her married life.

"Hm? Oh, Shippou calls it 'family duty.' Sesshoumaru figures that it's his business to make sure I'm taken care of since he's Inuyasha's brother," she shrugged.

"Who's Inuyasha?" Ukyou asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"My late husband," Kagome explained.

"Oh," Ukyou looked uncomfortable, "I'm sorry,"

Kagome's smile was tinged with underlying sadness now, "Don't worry about it. Inuyasha was a good man and I'm sure that he is in a better place now," she said, pulling out a line Miroku had used when he had tried to comfort her after her sudden introduction into widowhood.

"You lost husband? That not very good," Shampoo sympathized.

Kagome nodded, looking away. Her hands were fisted by her sides as she stubbornly refused to show her grief. "By the way," she said, changing subjects desperately, "have any one you tried out the games? They're really very fun,"

"Kagome," Ranma said, looked worried, "You don't look so good. Why don't you go lie down?"

Kagome nodded, "I think I should. Please excuse me," she turned to leave. Not even two steps away he legs buckled and she crumpled to the ground in a faint.

"Kagome!" Ranma freed himself from Shampoo and Ukyou to race to catch her. He just made it in time to cushion her head with his hand so that it did not knock against the stone of the paved courtyard.

"Oh my," Kasumi gasped, "Kagome-san,"

"I'm going to take her inside," Ranma said. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms.

"Is she going to be okay?" Akane asked.

"Don't ask me. I've got to find Shippou-san and her mother. Excuse me," and he left them behind.

* * *

Ranma sat by Kagome's bedside along with her family as Dr. Kagesaki examined her. Shippou had called the physician immediately after Ranma had brought Kagome inside. Dr. Kagesaki sat back on his heels.

"Just stress," he declared, "she should get some rest but after that Kagome-sama should be able to be up and about like normal,"

"Thank you Doctor," Mrs. Higurashi sighed. Ranma and Shippou shared a look. Neither of them got up to leave even when Mrs. Higurashi escorted the doctor and Souta out of Kagome's room. She left with a tender look directed towards them before she closed the door.

"So," Shippou said seriously, "What happened?"

"Not much, I don't think," Ranma frowned, "She talked with Sesshoumaru. He said some weird stuff to me and left. After that we ran into the Tendo sisters, then Shampoo and Ukyou. They started asking her about Inuyasha,"

Shippou nodded wearily, "That would do it. Mama's been sensitive on that subject ever since he died,"

"Totally understandable," he nodded, "So how did Inuyasha die? No one will tell me about it,"

Shippou scowled darkly, "Some petty lord attacked him from behind during a court dinner and tore out his heart right in front of Mama," he spat, his disguise spell flickering.

Ranma paled and swore.

"Sesshoumaru killed him, of course. But Mama… she couldn't take the shock. She went home through the well and didn't come back. I found her here after waiting for the timelines to meet and me and Sesshoumaru have been looking after her since,"

And so the truth was finally out. Ranma digested the story, his head starting to ache and his gut tying itself into knots.

_He hated these things. They were the worst part of making up with Sesshoumaru. The only thing that kept him from storming out in disgust and frustration was Kagome who was sitting right beside him. He started drumming his fingers against the table, needing some way to show his impatience. _

_Suddenly his world exploded with pain as he felt the unmistakable sensation of someone else's hand exploding through his chest and taking hold of his heart. Kagome screamed. _

_That was the last thing he heard._

Ranma pitched forward, clutching his chest and gasping in pain. He felt something rise up within him. Invisible bonds broke.

"That scum," he hissed, holding a hand to his head, "attack me from behind, will he? Bloodless coward,"

"Father?" Shippou whispered, shocked. Ranma turned his gaze to the kitsune. His eyes were golden, shining with an unnatural light.

"Hey brat," he grinned, "I'm back,"

"How?"

Ranma shrugged fluidly, "When Kagome took the curse off of me she weakened the memory seal that is placed on reincarnated souls. Good thing too. Now I can finally get rid off all those fiancées once and for all,"

"That right," Shippou snickered, taking the reappearance of his adopted father in stride, "you got three of them, don't you?"

"Yeah. Three fiancées and one mate. Kagome gets priority," he grinned smugly.

"How are you going to break it to them?"

Ranma hesitated, "Haven't figured that one out yet," he admitted slowly.

Shippou observed him for a minute before asking, "So which one are you? Inuyasha or Ranma?"

"Both," came the immediate reply, "I am still Saotome Ranma, heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial Arts but I am also Inuyasha, younger brother of Taisho Sesshoumaru and heir to the Western Lands,"

Kagome stirred, drawing their attention like iron filings to a magnet. Her eyes opened slowly. "Shippou? Ranma? What happened?"

"You fainted, Kagome," Ranma said gently.

"Scared the bejeezers outta us too. Don't do that again Mama, okay?" Shippou begged.

"I'll try," she laughed quietly. "I'm sorry for scaring you,"

"Don't worry about it," Shippou smiled, "Now, I think Ranma has something he wants to talk to you about," and with a wink to his reincarnated father the kitsune left the room. He had to tell his grandmother and uncle that Kagome had woke, after all.

"Ranma? What is it?" Kagome asked sitting up. Ranma smiled a smile that was achingly familiar to the miko and moved to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Hey Kagome," he purred, "Guess who?"

Kagome gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, "Inuyasha?"

"Got it in one," Ranma teased, tweaking her nose playfully and explaining, "The memory seal broke,"

"The seal?" she brushed her fingers against his lips, studying his face as if she had never seen it before, "So which one are you?"

"Both, Kagome. I am Ranma now. I was Inuyasha. And I love you as both," he promised fervently.

"So what do I call you?"

"Ranma, I guess. It's my name in this life, after all,"

"Ranma," Kagome whispered, snaking her arms around his neck, "I missed you so much, my husband,"

"My Mate," he breathed, taking in her calming scent.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Both Ranma ½ and Inuyasha belong to Takahashi Rumiko-sensei. Honestly, if they were mine do you think I'd be posting fanfiction on them? Yeah right! I'd publish it and actually make money! Too bad. 

**Chapter five**

**Prior Claim Trumps All**

Ranma's visits to the shrine were practically daily now that the memory seal had broken. He was certain that the Tendo family as well as his other fiancées were getting suspicious but in all honesty he could have cared less. Shippou told Sesshoumaru about the loss of the seal. Sesshoumaru arranged a meeting in order to verify the information and was pleased to see that his nephew was correct. He welcomed Ranma as his brother reincarnated.

Unfortunately every bed of roses is filled with its goodly share of thorns.

"Ranma," Saotome Genma confronted his son one day, "we need to talk. Inside,"

Ranma had a sneaking suspicion what his father wanted to talk about. A suspicion that was confirmed when he was met with all three of his fiancées as well as the entire Tendo family and Cologne. With great care and calm he sat down and faced the firing squad.

"Yes?" he asked with a smile.

Nabiki spread out some pictures from a file in her lap before him, "Care to explain?" she asked. Ah. Pictures of him and Kagome together. The Inuyasha in him wanted to snort and tell them that it was none of their business. The Ranma reasoned that they had a right to know. They both wanted Kagome there.

"Do I get a phone call?" he asked. Kasumi got him the portable handset. He dialed a familiar number and waited for it to connect. "Hey, Shippou it's me. I got a little explaining to do here. Can you swing by the shrine and bring Kagome to the Tendo dojo? Yeah, you can sit in on this too. Him? Sure, if he really wants to come. Just be quick about it, they're staring at me," and he hung up. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. He shrugged, "I'll start talking once they get here. I might as well get this over with in one go,"

"That's a good idea," Kasumi agreed. Everyone else just frowned. They protested, threatened and cajoled but Ranma said nothing. Not a word, not even a twitch of the mouth. His lips were sealed until the doorbell rang.

"That's them," he said, getting to his feet to answer the door. He came back with three people in tow: Kagome – whom everyone recognized from the pictures on the table – Shippou and Sesshoumaru.

"Ranma I don't understand," Kagome was saying when Ranma slid open the door to where everyone was gathered, "Shippou didn't explain what's the… oh," she trailed off, catching sight of the gathered people.

"Yeah," Ranma said, helping her sit. She nervously smoothed her top over her distended belly. "Can you see why I wanted you here?"

"I hope you don't mind Ranma," she whispered, "but I might have to fight over you like a shard of the Shikon,"

"Just do your thing," Ranma agreed and smiled wryly at her.

"Cologne-san!" Kagome exclaimed when she caught sight of the ancient Chinese matriarch, "What are you doing here?"

"Kagome-sama," Cologne nodded, "I'm here because Ranma is my son-in-law,"

Kagome frowned, "No he's not," she protested.

Cologne frowned as well, "He is by our customs,"

"But he can't be,"

"Why not?" Shampoo demanded.

"Because you can't lay claim to a married man,"

Shocked silence. Ranma groaned at the poleaxed look on everyone's faces – sans Sesshoumaru and Shippou of course.

"WHAT!"

"Oh dear," Kasumi frowned slightly, "I think this is going to take a while,"

"Probably," Shippou agreed with a roguish grin.

"What are these?" Kagome asked, picking up some of the pictures that were still on the table. Her face darkened dangerously, "Who took these?"

"That would be me," Nabiki confessed fearlessly. Kagome looked the mercenary girl over and handed the photographs to Sesshoumaru.

"I think you had better explain things to these people, sister," Sesshoumaru said as he accepted the pictures.

"What we want to know is why you're so close to Ranchan!" Ukyou slammed her hands on the table for emphasis. Kagome took a deep breath.

"Very well. Please keep in mind that everything I am about to tell you is true in every detail. On my sixteenth birthday I fell down a well that the Higurashi shrine was built around just less than five hundred years ago. This well, the Bone Eater's Well was built using the wood of a goshinboku for the disposal of youkai bones and bodies,"

"Sounds yicky," Akane murmured. Kagome smiled at her.

"I have to admit that it scared the daylights out of me for years before I fell down it. But I digress. I fell down the well because I was being attacked by a youkai by the name of Mistress Centipede. While trying to escape I accidentally used the power of a sacred object that had been born in to my body and created a rip in the fabric of time. I surfaced five hundred years in the past in what was then called 'Inuyasha's Forest.'"

"It still is, by the older youkai," Sesshoumaru murmured.

"Is it?" Kagome was surprised.

"Mainly around the shrine, but really it's pretty much all of Tokyo proper," Shippou nodded. Kagome smiled brightly and patted Ranma on the shoulder.

"That would explain a few things," she laughed.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Genma demanded impatiently.

"Everything, Saotome-san," Kagome said, turning her attention back to the room in general and grinning, "for it is five hundred years ago that the solution for this entire fiancée mess was born. You see that is when I met a hanyou named Inuyasha. He was pinned to a tree by a sacred arrow but I managed to free him. We traveled together with a priest, Miroku-sama, and a taijiya, Sango-chan, for the next couple of years. That's a whole other story and if you're really interested you can ask me about it later. Anyways, as time went by and we defeated a manipulative and very, very evil hanyou named Naraku. Inuyasha and I fell in love and eventually married by human and youkai customs,"

"Naraku?" Cologne asked, sounding faint.

Kagome nodded, "I see you are familiar with the name,"

"There are few my age who are not familiar with the name of that black demon. Then you are the miko who restored order to the Shikon?"

"I am," she said, "but like I said, that is another story. I married Inuyasha but not even a year later he was killed right before my eyes,"

"Had my heart ripped out," Ranma growled under his breath and scowled darkly. Kagome drew in a shuddering breath and nodded.

"He had his heart ripped out by another youkai lord during what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting," she agreed, tearing up at the painful memory still tearing fresh wounds in her soul, "he died right there in my arms. I didn't even find out until a week later that I was pregnant with our first child,"

"That's so sad!" Kasumi sniffled in to a handkerchief.

"Two months later I ran into Ranma. Well, to be truthful, he fell on top of me. I noticed he had a curse and as a thank you for taking care of me during the time it took for my doctor to get to the shrine to stop a threatened miscarriage I offered to try to take it off. That's when I met Cologne-san, who my son, Shippou, had ascertained had information on the juusenkyou curse,"

"Your son?" Everyone was confused.

Shippou grinned and hugged Kagome, "Yup, Kagome's my mama!" he laughed.

Kagome smiled fondly at him, "I adopted Shippou-chan five hundred years ago. He's a kitsune youma,"

"Then who's this guy?" Ukyou asked, jerking a thumb at Sesshoumaru.

Kagome smiled benignly, "This is Taisho Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older brother and ruler of the youkai Western Lands,"

"Back to the story," Ranma sighed.

"Right. Sorry. Where was I?"

"You met with Cologne," Shippou prompted.

Kagome nodded, "Right. Anyways, Cologne-san ended up giving me the most important information I needed in order to perform a removal ceremony: what the curse looked like in an aura. Anyways, during the time that I was researching the juusenkyou curse Ranma was stopping by the shrine every once in a while to help out. It's pretty much only me, Mama and my younger brother, Souta there ever since my grandpa died two years back. It was really, very nice to have someone help out with the heavy stuff since Mama has to work and Souta has school. I can't ask Sesshoumaru or Shippou to come over all the time because they both have companies to run," she shrugged helplessly, "and since I'm pregnant I'm under strict doctors orders not to strain myself since hanyou pregnancies are always very much touch and go so I couldn't do any of it myself like I normally would. After a week or two I was confident that I could perform the removal. Well, it wasn't so much confidence as necessity," she slumped and shook her head.

"Necessity?" Akane pressed, "Why?"

"Because the seal that is placed on reincarnated souls was dissolving due to continued contact with my aura and Ranma was getting erratic flashes of his fast life. I thought that if I could perform the removal then he would have no reason to continue frequenting a shrine that was so far from where he lived and that the seal would allow him to lead his own life,"

"But things never go as they are planned," Sesshoumaru smirked. Kagome tossed him a scowl.

"During the process of removing the juusenkyou curse as well as some other smaller ones I managed to weaken the seal. I never have been very good at detailed work like that. I'm more of a 'big blast of power that incinerates everything' kind of girl. Anyways, the seal didn't break until after I collapsed during the festival,"

"And Inuyasha and Ranma became one," Ranma finished for her. Kagome looked around the room.

"And what does that have to do with our claim on him?" Ukyou asked, frowning. Sesshoumaru and Shippou snorted.

"Everything," Shippou said, "unlike humans us youkai mate for life, binding our very souls together. Father and mama were mated as well as married. Father was reincarnated and the mating bond still holds since his mate was still living. If you tried to force him to marry any other he would probably end up killing himself as penance for adultery even if the union was never consummated,"

The serious nods from Ranma and Sesshoumaru had most of the room's occupants paling at the implications.

"So, effectively Ranma is already married and was even before the engagements to the three of you were agreed upon," Kagome said seriously, "As the mate of his previous incarnation I lay prior claim on Ranma,"

"You can't do that!" Shampoo exclaimed, jumping to her feet in righteous indignation, "Ranma Shampoo's _airen!"_

"You can't be engaged to a married man," Kagome argued.

"Ranma not yours!"

"Yes he is!"

"You only want him because he's a reincarnation of your dead husband," Ukyou snapped.

Three separate, deadly, growls erupted on either side of Kagome. Sesshoumaru and Shippou's human disguises faltered revealing their true youkai selves. Ranma clenched his fists to keep himself from jumping in the fray.

Kagome went still. "You question my feelings for Ranma?" she asked quietly, quite aware of the picture her youkai family made as they took offence at the slight made on her honour, "Even before the seal on Inuyasha's memories I was falling in love with him. It seems to be our fate. Inuyasha loved Kikyou, my prior incarnation, and he loved me. _As separate people_. It is the same for Ranma and I. Never accuse me of using his reincarnation as an excuse to steal him from you," when no one said a word of further protest she smiled, extending a calming aura to the irate men beside her. "Anything else we need to clear up now?"

"I think it's terribly romantic," Kasumi sighed, throwing everyone off kilter.

Kagome and Ranma both blushed a little but only Shippou laughed, "So do I, Kasumi-san. I've been waiting five hundred years for mama and father to get back together,"

"It's like something out of a romance novel," she dabbed her handkerchief at the corners of her eyes.

"If that is everything," Sesshoumaru said, getting to his feet, "Then I believe that we shall be leaving. Brother, kitsune, Kagome-san," he motioned for them to follow him out. Ranma and Shippou helped Kagome to her feet and bid their farewells.

"Someone will be by later to pick up my things," Ranma said before leaving the room, "if you need me I will be at the Higurashi shrine,"

And he left.

"Well," Cologne said finally, drawing everyone's attention, "Nothing we can do about a claim like that,"

"Great-grandmother?" Shampoo looked stricken.

"Come, Shampoo, we must go back to China,"

* * *

Ranma helped Kagome into the back of Shippou's car and slid in next to her. Sesshoumaru declared that _he_ was going to drive and peremptorily confiscated the keys from his nephew. Shippou grumbled about the arrangements but settled himself in the passenger's side seat. That left Ranma and Kagome alone in the back, not that they were complaining very loudly.

"Thanks for helping out back there," he whispered to his mate of two lives. Kagome smiled at him as she stretched the seatbelt over her distended middle.

"Hey, I told you I'd fight for you. Tooth and nail, as dirty as Naraku ever was, if need be," she joked lightly.

"Thankfully you didn't have to fight physically," Shippou said, "You're useless in close combat mama, baby or no baby,"

"No respect," Kagome pouted.

"It's only the truth," he defended.

"No respect," she repeated, sighing gloomily, "Even if it is true you don't have to rub it in,"

"Make me!" was the taunting retort. Ranma reached forward and smacked his son upside the back of the head. Shippou whined and Kagome laughed. Sesshoumaru just sighed. What had terrible thing had he done to deserve a family like this?

_Owari_


End file.
